Let the Distance keep us Together

Walter Dahn passed away on November 7, 2024, just a few days after the opening of his solo exhibition ‘Have Love Will Travel’ at Haus Mödrath on October 20. We had the great privilege of experiencing a particularly wonderful and intensive preparation and build-up phase with Walter. In countless conversations, he repeatedly referred to his time as a teacher in Braunschweig - above all because of ‘his’ students. He was in intensive dialogue with some of his students. It was always about art, music and film. Always ‘at eye level’, as Walter constantly emphasised. For years, even decades. ‘Let's see’, “look here” or “what do you think of this...” - this is how the exchange, the mutual interest, the expression of mutual appreciation often began. They were more, much more than just his ‘students’. For Walter, they were fellow artists with equal rights. But more than that, they were his friends, actually already part of his family, an integral part of his cosmos.

And we can now bring these close student family friends together again in a small series of exhibitions. With genuine enthusiasm and conviction, they all agreed spontaneously. They are sure that Walter would love it. And because Walter Dahn's exhibition will run for another eight months until the end of August 2025 at Haus Mödrath, we have the fantastic opportunity to showcase one of these artists every month in our studio in the basement.
 

ULRICH PESTER

Ulrich Pester's pictures do not show inanimate objects, but things at the moment of their secret rebellion. They refuse to be used, play theatre, become actors. It is as if the objects that we once dominated are now slowly developing their own language - a silent pantomime of resistance to their intended purpose. Pester's painting always remains casual, almost laconic - and that is precisely why it is so accurate. What often appears playful turns out to be a sharp observation of a grotesque, endless loop of function and dysfunction.

The exhibition spans an arc from the artist's early works, created during his time as a student in Walter Dahn's class, to his most recent paintings.

Ulrich Pester, born in Hanover in 1980, studied fine art with Walter Dahn at the Braunschweig University of Art from 2004 to 2010. He lives and works in Cologne.